Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Saturday reiterated their resolve against extremism and terrorism, and vowed collective efforts against the scourge that was not only a threat to global peace and security but also undermining progress, particularly in the Muslim countries.
The talks at the Royal Palace between President Musharraf and Khadamin Haramain al Sharifain King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz covered wide-ranging international and regional issues, especially the threats from extremists to the Ummah.
The talks aimed at evaluating the challenges confronting the Ummah were covered in delegation-level discussions that continued over the lunch and were followed by the exclusive meeting of the two leaders that lasted around two hours. They stressed that it was imperative to defeat extremism and terrorism for the socio-economic development of the Muslim countries.
King Abdullah and President Musharraf expressed concern over the situation in Middle East and Iraq and urged measures to help de-escalate tensions in the region and pave the way for early resolution of conflicts and disputes.
President General Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan was fighting terrorism and extremism in its own national interest. He said Pakistan was co-operating and sharing experiences and intelligence with friendly countries that were facing similar challenges.
King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz noted Pakistan's role in countering the challenges it was facing and the co-operation it was extending to the rest of the world. The President said the issues of extremism and terrorism have serious regional implications and there was a need for greater co-ordination to stem this threat to increase intelligence sharing.
He said that political, social and economic measures were vital to address the root causes as mere military means were no solution, particularly to extremism. The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade and political ties, the two countries enjoy and stressed translating these into a stronger and meaningful economic relationship for their peoples.